Side impacts, roll-overs, sudden and/or significant lateral movements, or the like (collectively referred to herein as “lateral collisions”) are a common type of vehicular collision and a type of collision that may cause injury to the vehicle seat occupants. Injuries that are commonly associated with lateral collisions include head and/or neck injuries. Such injuries often occur when the head of a seat occupant strikes or otherwise impacts a structural component of the vehicle (e.g., pillars, door structure, side panels, roof rails, side windows, etc.) or is permitted to move unrestrictedly in a lateral direction. A head and/or neck injury may further result from having an object striking the vehicle, or the object the vehicle is striking, enter the occupant compartment and impact the head of the seat occupant. In addition, it is possible for a side window of a vehicle to shatter during a lateral collision and for an injury to occur when the head of the seat occupant exits the occupant compartment through the window opening.
Accordingly, there is a need for a relatively simple, inexpensive and adaptable head restraint system intended to protect the head and/or neck of a vehicle seat occupant in the event of a lateral collision. There is also a need for a head restraint system that is suitable for use with vehicles having differently configured occupant compartments. There is also a need for a head restraint system that does not substantially limit (e.g., obstruct, etc.) communication (e.g., visual, audio, etc.) throughout and/or out of the vehicle. There is a further need to provide a head restraint system suitable for use with an emergency response type vehicle wherein a seat occupant is likely to be fitted with equipment (e.g., a self-contained breathing apparatus, etc.) limiting his or her ability to sit in a conventional vehicle seat. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide for a head restraint system suitable for fulfilling one or more of these or other needs.